The Ghost Groom

by Jennifer Youngblood

  She perched a hand on her hip. “For what?”

  “For teaching the class.” He brought the water bottle to his lips and drained it. Then he crushed it in his hand.

  Her dark eyes flashed. “You strong-armed me into that. But thanks,” she said tartly.

  “You’re welcome.” A beat stretched between them. “So, what’s next on your schedule? Are you teaching more classes?”

  “Yeah, I have another one at four.”

  “Anything after that?” He tried to sound casual.

  “Nope, that’s it for work.”

  His pulse throbbed like a bass drum against his neck. “I was thinking we might grab a bite to eat.”

  “No can do. Sorry, I have a date.”

  His heart lurched. “Really?”

  “Really.” She picked up a couple of empty water bottles on the bench, strode to the garbage can, and tossed them in. Rennen also tossed his bottle in the trash. Ariana picked up a towel someone had forgotten and slung it over her shoulder.

  A date. He’d not anticipated that. A hot jealousy surged through him. “With who?”

  She chuckled lightly. “That’s none of your business.”

  She flipped off the lights and turned to leave. He rushed to keep up with her.

  “Who’s the date with?”

  She made a face. “What does it matter?”

  He caught hold of her arm, a feeling of desperation seizing him. “I’d like to know.” He released her arm when she made a point of eyeing his hand with disapproval. He was coming on too strong, but couldn’t seem to help himself.

  She lifted her chin, defiance shining in her dark eyes. “Like I said, it’s none of your business.”

  “Is it a first date? Or someone you know?” He felt like a schoolboy who’d just found out his girlfriend was going to the prom with someone else.

  She quickened her pace down the hall, her body moving in stiff, jerky movements. “If you must know, it’s with someone I met through Heart to Heart.” She paused, throwing the towel into a box labeled “lost and found.”

  His brows shot up. “I thought you were done with that app, after the fiasco at the club.”

  She shrugged. “I thought I’d give it another try. After all, I signed a three-month contract. I’d might as well get my money’s worth.” She flashed a wicked grin. “This time, I made a point of stating no football players, so I should be good.”

  “Ouch,” he muttered. Out of the corner of his eye, Rennen caught the interested glances from the people they passed. But he kept his focus on Ariana. He kept half expecting her to mention the rematch. Mr. Knight’s assistant was supposed to call her today, but maybe she hadn’t gotten through. When they reached the front, Ariana stepped behind the counter. He leaned against it, not ready to end the conversation.

  She drummed her fingers against the wood. “Well, it’s been good seeing you, Rennen, but I have work to do.”

  Their eyes met and for a fleeting moment, he got the distinct impression she wanted him to stay longer. Fight for me, she seemed to be saying. He placed a hand over hers. “Go out with me.”

  Something shifted in her eyes. He felt the longing pouring out of her into him. A rush of attraction buzzed through him. For one wild second, he thought she might say yes. But then Ariana’s assistant stepped up, breaking the spell. Ariana quickly removed her hand, clearing her throat like she was embarrassed.

  Rennen sighed. “Okay, you win. I’ll leave you alone.” A thrill shot through him when he saw the flicker of disappointment in her eyes. He smiled. “But I’ll be back tomorrow and the day after that.”

  Her head shot up. “Don’t you have something else better to do?” she snipped. “What about training?”

  “Over by lunch every day. See ya tomorrow.”

  She gritted her teeth. “You’re impossible.”

  His eyes caressed hers. “Yeah, I know.”

  When he reached the door, he glanced back over his shoulder. Ariana was watching him with an enigmatic expression. When she realized she’d been caught, she blinked a couple of times, quickly looking down at her paperwork.

  As Rennen stepped out of the gym, a brilliant idea took shape. Something that would guarantee him a date with Ariana. Yes, it could work. What was the use of being a celebrity if he couldn’t pull a few strings? He reached for his phone and called his PR rep at the DaVinci Agency. “Hey, Lainey, this is Rennen,” he said when she answered. “I need you to work on something for me.”

  With each passing day, Ariana’s willpower was weakening. She’d even taken to watching the clock, counting the hours until Rennen came to the gym. A couple of times, he’d taken her classes, which was unnerving. It was hard to concentrate on teaching when all she could think about was him, watching her with those magnetic eyes. The last thing she saw each night when she went to sleep was a flash of blonde curls and Rennen’s devastating grin that melted her defenses. It was good she was dating other guys. That was the only way she’d be able to put Rennen out of her mind for good.

  Rennen hadn’t mentioned a word of their rematch. Mr. Knight’s assistant called with a date for the match. It would take place two weeks from today. The time of day was yet to be determined. Reporters were still swarming the gym, especially since they’d learned that Rennen had joined. Ariana was worried her clients might be upset with all the attention, but they seemed to be okay with it, so long as they got to keep rubbing shoulders with Rennen. Enrollment had increased ten percent over the past week alone, and Ariana knew that was owed to having an NFL player there on a daily basis.

  Ariana checked her reflection in the mirror, then picked up a makeup brush and gave her cheekbones a dusting of blush. Next, she applied lip-gloss, fluffed her hair, and put on a pair of gold, dangly earrings. Her past two dates with Heart to Heart had been okay, but nothing to write home about. Tonight, she was going out with a guy who had potential. She’d been texting back and forth for a couple of days with an attorney, Scott Jones, who seemed like a sharp guy. Ariana hinted that she’d like to see a photo of him, but he told her he wanted to keep her in suspense. It was good to have a distraction from Rennen. Scott seemed like a witty guy, and he enjoyed doing outdoor activities. They were meeting at a trendy Tex-Mex restaurant in Ft. Worth and were going to an indoor climbing wall afterwards. She figured any guy brave enough to go climbing on a first date must be in decent shape. She smoothed her hands down the red sundress and slipped on a pair of wedge sandals. Last, she reached for her perfume and pumped out a couple of squirts, stepping into the mist.

  Scott offered to pick her up at her apartment, but she opted to meet him at the restaurant instead. She’d learned it was better to have her own car, in case she needed to make a quick get-away.

  The restaurant was brimming with people when Ariana arrived. She’d only eaten at The Red Table once before, but remembered the food was good. If things went well with Scott, Ariana would have to take him to Los Tios to meet the family. Ace would be relieved to see that she’d moved past Rennen.

  Ariana stepped up to the hostess. She was a little early. Scott wasn’t due to arrive until seven and it was a quarter ’til.

  “How many?”

  “Two.”

  The hostess nodded. “Your name?”

  “Sanchez.”

  The girl handed Ariana a buzzer. “It’ll be about ten minutes.”

  “Okay, thanks.”

  She sat down in the waiting area, scoping out the restaurant. Scott told her he was blonde, tall, and would be wearing a blue, button-down shirt and jeans. His description sounded great. Ariana was a sucker for tall blondes. Obviously, her mind screamed as an image of Rennen rushed through her head.

  Rennen had not come to the gym today, leaving a huge void … and not just for Ariana. Beth, along with several of the instructors and clients, asked where he was. It was a little unnerving how quickly the staff at the gym, and many of the clients, had bonded with Rennen. Then again, he was a rising star. Maybe Rennen’s a
bsence today was owed to him finally getting the hint that she was off limits. Was he giving up? Her stomach tightened, disappointment shooting through her. She pushed the thoughts away, willing herself to focus on her upcoming date.

  The buzzer went off. She stood and handed it to the hostess. That was fast. She’d only been waiting five minutes.

  The hostess smiled, motioning to a girl standing beside her. “This is Nicole. She’ll show you to your table.”

  “Thank you.”

  As soon as Ariana got seated, she sent Scott a text.

  I got us a table.

  He texted right back.

  Awesome. Be there in five.

  Flutters went through her stomach. She needed a win. Oh, how she hoped this would go well. A server in his early twenties approached the table. “Hello, my name’s Mike. I’ll be taking care of you tonight. Can I get you something to drink?” He pointed to the menu Ariana was holding. “We have a large selection of wines. And we have fountain drinks, raspberry lemonade, coffee, tea. Our beverages are listed on the back section of the menu.”

  “I’ll have water with lemon.”

  He nodded. “Of course.” Mike glanced at the empty seat across from her.

  “My date will be here shortly,” she said. “Would you bring him a water with lemon as well?”

  “Certainly.”

  Ariana figured Scott could order something else if he wanted.

  “Would you like to order an appetizer while you wait?”

  “No thanks.”

  “I’ll be right back with your drinks.”

  The ambiance of the restaurant was nice—trendy but not so modern that it felt cold. The lights were dim with soft music playing in the background. Ariana looked at the menu. Her stomach rumbled. She’d not eaten since lunch and was starving. The downside to teaching several classes each day was that she was a bottomless pit. She tried to remember what she’d gotten here before. The chicken enchiladas, maybe? The teriyaki salmon with wild rice looked good. Maybe add a side salad to go with it. Her mouth watered as she looked at the sweet potato chips with chipotle salsa. She remembered that from before because it was outstanding.

  She glanced up to see Rennen striding toward her.

  8

  Ariana’s heart jumped into her mouth when Rennen sat down across from her.

  A smile slid over his lips. “Hey.” His eyes flickered over her. “You look fantastic. Red is definitely your color.”

  “You can’t be here,” she hissed, putting down the menu. “I have a date.” Rennen was going to ruin everything.

  He picked up the menu, his lips creasing into a quirky grin. “I know.”

  “Then you should know you can’t be here. Scott will be here any minute.”

  Mike arrived with the drinks and placed them on the table. He looked at Rennen. “Would you like anything to drink besides water, sir?”

  Rennen looked thoughtful. “What are the choices?”

  As Mike ran through the list, Ariana’s mind was a jumble. She couldn’t believe Rennen had the audacity to follow her here. Scott would be here any minute. In fact, she was surprised he wasn’t here already.

  “I’ll have raspberry lemonade.”

  “Would you like any appetizers?”

  “No,” Ariana blurted. “He’s not staying.”

  Mike gave her a funny look.

  Rennen smoothed out the awkwardness with a smile. “Yes, we’d love some of your sweet potato chips and the salsa that goes with it.”

  Mike jotted that down. “Excellent choice.”

  Rennen looked at Ariana. “They’re fantastic. You’ll love them.”

  She balled her fist, her fingernails digging into her palm.

  “Are you ready to place your order, or do you need a few more minutes to look over the menu?” Mike asked.

  “Give us a few more minutes,” Rennen said.

  Recognition lit Mike’s eyes. “Hey, I know you. I saw you on the interview with Katie Moss. You’re Rennen Bradley.”

  “Yes.”

  “It’s a great honor to be your server,” he gushed.

  “Thank you.” Rennen lowered his voice. “Hey, if you don’t mind keeping that on the down low I’d appreciate it.” He motioned at Ariana. “I’d like to have a nice evening with my lady.”

  “I’m not your lady,” Ariana retorted.

  “Sure, man. I’ll keep it quiet,” Mike said, his eyes gleaming like he’d seen his first Camaro. “Be back shortly with your drink and appetizer.”

  As Mike walked away, Ariana leaned forward. Her blood was pumping so fast it was making her dizzy. “What do you think you’re doing? You can’t just keep showing up and inserting yourself into my life. I have a date.”

  “I know.” He took a long drink of water and placed the glass down with a plunk. “You’re meeting Scott Jones, a patent attorney. And afterwards, you’re going climbing.”

  Several things hit Ariana at once. First, he knew Scott’s name, profession, and their agenda. Second, it registered that he was wearing a blue, button-down shirt. An incredulous laugh bubbled in her throat. “You’re Scott Jones.”

  Rennen sat back in his seat, a sheepish grin on his handsome face. “I hope you’re not too disappointed.”

  “H-how,” she sputtered. She thought back to the texts she and Scott—Rennen had been exchanging for the past few days. Witty … charming … easy to connect with. She should’ve known. She went hotter than a penny on the asphalt in July. “How could you?” she seethed. She couldn’t believe Rennen had gone to the trouble to pretend he was someone else. How he even managed it was beyond her. That was it! No more Heart to Heart! She was demanding a full refund.

  “You left me little choice.”

  She arched an eyebrow. “There’s always a choice. I should’ve known Scott was too good to be true,” she muttered, reaching for her purse. She moved to stand, but Rennen caught her arm. A jolt pinged through her when their skin touched.

  “Don’t leave. Please.”

  She eyed him. “Give me one good reason to stay.”

  “Because it’s my birthday. And I don’t want to be alone.”

  She saw the vulnerability in his eyes, knew somehow in a way that defied words that he was telling the truth. A lump of emotion formed in her throat. Birthdays were a big deal in her family. The year before, her parents had thrown her a huge party at Los Tios. She sat back down, knowing there was no way she could let him spend tonight alone.

  “I’m sorry I tricked you.”

  His hand was still over hers. This thing with them … she didn’t know what to do about it. The more she tried to escape from Rennen, the stronger their connection grew. Despite her best effort to hold it back, a rush of excitement thrummed through her veins. She felt alive and a little reckless, much like she’d felt on the first night they met.

  His lips curved in an easy smile. “I just wanna have dinner, get to know you more. Is that too much to ask?” His eyes pled with hers. “I mean, we’re here. We might as well eat.”

  She cocked an eyebrow. “And afterwards?”

  “We’ll go climbing, just like we planned.”

  She pursed her lips. “Do you even like climbing, or were you just throwing that out there because you knew I’d bite?”

  “No, I truly enjoy climbing.”

  She removed her hand from his, giving him a steely look. “So, Scott … what would you like for dinner?”

  His eyes seemed to collect the light from the fixtures above as he grinned. “My middle name is Scott.”

  She cocked her head, not ready to let him off the hook. “And your last name?”

  He waved a hand, and she caught a trace of something—annoyance or perhaps sadness—in his eyes. “Bradley was a name I was given by some social worker. My last name’s a placeholder. It might as well be Jones.”

  “What about your first name? Was that given to you by a social worker also?”

  “Yeah, I suppose so. It had to have been, right?
”

  Ariana couldn’t imagine what he’d been through. She felt a wave of sympathy, but tried hard not to show it. She had a feeling that Rennen wouldn’t tolerate anyone feeling sorry for him. And she didn’t blame him. “How about the attorney part?”

  “Well, before football took center stage, I was planning on studying law.”

  “I see. Anything else I should know about you?” she quipped.

  His eyes locked with hers. “Once I set my sights on something, I never let it go.”

  The promise in his voice sent a surge of adrenaline through her. Heat fanned her face, and with that heat came a longing she could scarcely contain. In that moment, she got the crazy feeling that everything she’d been looking for was sitting right in front of her, a hair’s breadth away. All she had to do was let herself go and embrace it.

  Mike returned with Rennen’s raspberry lemonade and the appetizer, breaking the spell. Ariana sighed inwardly. She’d almost lost it there. Rennen was really throwing her for a loop. She’d have to do a better job of keeping her guard up. Mike took their dinner orders. Ariana chose the salmon and Rennen fish tacos.

  “You’re gonna love these sweet potato chips,” Rennen said, dipping one in the salsa and placing it in his mouth.

  “Yes, I do.”

  He looked surprised. “You’ve had them before?”

  “Yep. I’ve been here once before.”

  “With another guy?”

  “Yes.” She’d come here with Paul, her ex-boyfriend.

  The corners of Rennen’s mouth turned down. “That’s too bad.”

  “Why’s that?” She dipped a chip in salsa and plopped it in her mouth, savoring the combination of sweet and salty with the complex tanginess of the chipotle. Delicious.

  “I was hoping to take you somewhere you’ve never been before … especially with someone else.”